About US$25 million worth of heroin has been intercepted at Fiji's Lautoka wharf, in what police say is likely to be the largest heroin bust in the country.

Transcript

About US$25 million worth of heroin has been intercepted at Fiji's Lautoka wharf, in what police say is likely to be the largest heroin bust in the country.

30 kilograms of heroin were found hidden inside bicycle tyres on Sunday, following a joint operation between the Fiji police and the Revenue and Customs Authority.

The acting commissioner of police, Isikeli Vuniwaqa, spoke with Leilani Momoisea about the bust.

ISIKELI VUNIWAQA: As far as we know the consignment came through from Asia, but its original status and origin is still to be further clarified.

LEILANI MOMOISEA: Were the drugs intended for Fiji, or were they to be taken on elsewhere?

IV: At this point we suspect it was for transit, but it's still too early, our investigation is still in its embryonic stage at this point in time.

LM: Have any arrests been made at all?

IV: Yes, we have one person in custody at this point in time and interrogation and checks are currently undertaken.

LM: Has this much heroin been found before? How common is this sort of thing?

IV: It's not common in Fiji at this point in time. Not with this kind of magnitude with weight that has been uncovered. We had earlier I think uncovered a few grams, but this is probably the largest bust in as far as heroin is concerned. It's uncommon, it's uncommon. Our most common catch has been methamphetamine so far. But this is probably one of the harder ones that have been unveiled lately.

LM: And what's the message the police want to put out there in terms of how well protected Fiji's borders are?

IV: Just to put it through to would-be perpetrators who are people who think that Fiji is a safe-haven to push through these kind of drugs, we are very vigilant now at our borders. Our immigration authorities, our custom officers, our police officers have now been trained and are properly well entrenched in the way we are networked. So, just a warning for those who intend to use Fiji as a safe haven for drug smuggling or for transition, this is a warning that Fiji is intensifying its border watch, now, and into the future.